My boss took me there on a survey job one snowy day, several years ago. The ferry slips were not ready yet, and were still being painted. One could see the grandness of the architecture. Billowy sheets of plastic were hung over the openings, and we had to drive in and out of the curtains to do the surveys, like stagehands hopping on and off the grand stage. It was so silent, snow falling into the river, no one there to see any of the beauty that day but us.

Thank you, JD, for the push to finish this drawing. Thx, Frankie for the ‘Boke’ tip!

Ships of Commerce, War, Work & Pleasure

a presentation of NYHarbor doodles by Bowsprite

aboard Nantucket Lightship WLV-612

Wednesday, September 14, 20166 to 7pm

take the WaterTaxi ferry or the East River Ferry from Pier 11 across the East River to Pier 1
Brooklyn Bridge Park, walk south to Pier 6,

or, take the trains to the stations shown on the map and walk west to the park and the ship.

Of great note!

“Between 1941 and 1945, Liberty Ships were constructed in 18 U.S. shipyards.John W. Brown is one of only two Liberty Ships that survive.

“She is docked at Pier 36 on the Lower East Side (299 South St.) and is open for tours and other events ending with a six-hour living history cruise on Sept. 18.
The John W. Brown was built in Baltimore. She was named for a well-known labor leader and launched on Labor Day, 1942. Her maiden voyage was to New York City where she picked up Jeeps, trucks and ammunition to aid Russia under the Lend-Lease Act and took them to the Persian Gulf. She transported troops and cargo in support of the WWII effort until 1945…

“On both Saturdays the engines will be working at the pier as part of the tour.”

The title was generated by the website, HubSpot, along with these:
• 7 Things About Historic Ships Your Boss Wants To Know
• How To Solve The Biggest Problems With New York Harbor
• 10 Signs You Should Invest In Historic Ships

(I know of too many people who would pelt me with rotten tomatoes if I used this last one.)

• How Drawing Boards Once Saved the World
• Why Do People Think New York Harbors are a Good Idea?
• How Artists View of the Harbors aren’t as Bad as You Think
• It Did What? 19 Secrets About Drawing Historic Ships
• What Mom Never Told You About A Once and Future Harbor
• What Experts Are Saying About Doodles of Ships
• 9 Ways Drawing Historic Ships Could Leave You Needing a Lawyer
• Folk Remedies for Improving Drawing New York Harbor
• Drawing Historic Ships Taboos You Should Break

• The Unconventional Guide to Drawing Horsecock (had to try this military delicacy keyword once.)

“I just had the bittersweet honor of removing the USCGC BOUTWELL from active Coast Guard service, pierside at Coast Guard Island in Alameda. This small event involved the remaining few who have completed the legwork that began with the formal decommissioning ceremony back in March in San Diego. The hull now will sit empty until its prospective owners, the Philippine Navy arrive to take custody.”

The waters of Gardiner’s Bay have been warming up perceptibly, and I have finally been able to swim without my face numbing.

Today at high tide, while standing and waiting to adjust in waist-high water, something bit my heel.

In the Sound during hot months, little 2″ / 5cm long white fish gently nibble and exfoliate my legs. This was not that. This was a bite. And the next bite was on my toe. And the bite after that was even harder. I peered in and saw this:

It looked like a rock, about 7″ / 17.8cm long and triangular pyramid shape. I kicked at it. It came right back, biting harder. And I was mad I had to swim earlier than I was ready.

The New York Harbor School students have their artwork up at the Melville Gallery, South Street Seaport Museum!
211 Water Street, Saturday and Sunday, 11 – 5pm

Much thanks to Yvonne Simons, Jonathan Bouleware et al at the SSSM, thanks NYC for the CASA grant that made this course possible, and Capt. Aaron Singh for bringing me in. I taught students to doodle and paint. Boats. By the water. Does this not sound tailor-made?

Beautiful photography (taught by Len Bernstein) and a wonderful video (guided by Gordon Skinner) were also the results of this Maritime Arts Afterschool Club.

Thanks goes to all the kids who came after school to draw, paints, etch, carve, cut, crinkle, tape, paste, and play. “They said: I can’t draw.” Well, yes, you can, actually.

What I learned: show them the materials and how to use them, tell them about the exercise of the day, and then keep quiet and watch what they do. It was mind-expanding and very rewarding and inspirational.

Thank you to Rigmor, Valerie, Kathleen and other art teacher friends who gave me their tips and ideas. As Kathleen said: “I thought I was doing it for the kids, but I realized I was the one getting the most out of it!

On the beach today, I found a pretty piece of Northern Quahog shell (Mercenaria mercenaria) with a ring of suction marks from Eastern White Slipper shells (Crepidula plans). It looked like a sky with new moons…

The native people here named the Full Moons, but they did not name the New Moons. So, I suggest the following:
Crimson Clover MoonAs theoretically, the last frost is over, even though one still freezes one’s derrière off, the peepers optimistically begin their nocturnal calls, the earthworms churn the softening ground, and the crimson clover seeds have been sown. Make use of the rains as water costs and rain is free. The more crimson clover, the less lawn to mow, weed and water. A no-brainer.

Whitefish MoonAlso known as Coney Island Whitefish Moon. While on the topic of Coney Island Whitefish, please dispose of condoms properly. Do not fling them into the water! Hello—I’m talking to YOU. I’m delighted you are using protection, but please put it into the trash where it can wash into the waters through official channels.

Margarita MoonInsert-Libation-Of-Your-Choice-Here Moon. Fire up the grill, swirl around in your sun dress, imbibe and howl at this new moon. Don’t drink and drive: jump into the bay instead.

Vinegar MoonAs jellyfish fill the bay, and bathers get stung, the smell of first-aid vinegar laces the sweet soft briny zephyrs. As the Natives know: when the jellyfish are in the bay, they are not in the Sound. When they clog up in the Sound, you’re safe in the bay. And in both, the fertilizer run-offs will give you ear infections. Do not use vinegar in ear.

Antler Dropping MoonLyme Tick Dropping Moon was too depressing to name this beautiful new moon. Deer may run amok and feed the ticks, but it is the white-footed mice which are the key hosts of the virus which go into the ticks. So don’t get guinea hens, get a fox. Add some wolves, coyotes and bears, too.

Cafè Badilatti is a coffee purveyor. In their building in Zuoz, sometimes the dreamy smell of coffee mingles with strains of live classical music. There is a cafe in the basement where there are performances, there is a lecture room upstairs, and my favorite: a lovely museum of beautiful old roasting and grinding implements.

I love their collection of old wrought iron and forged equipment. From the most primitive hand hammered iron mills to impressive grand, large standing roasting machines from all over the world, you can travel through history: the Belle Epoque, the Roaring 20’s, the Deco 30’s, and WWI, the 1950’s, the swinging ’60s…

It is a marvel that through wartime, havoc, mayhem, social and political upheaval, people did sit down to brew a cup of coffee and imbibe.

During peak seasons, Café Badilatti offers lectures, as one of the Badilatti brothers is a scientist, a bird and plant specialist. For this month, a wonderful classical music trio of musicians from Hungary who play every weekday evening. There is also a small cultural program.

A handmade zoetrope blends in with the roasting machines. You turn a crank, and coffee beans jitterbug, a Josephine Baker-like dancer shimmies over espresso cups, a coffee pot dances. I think this is their last season. I must go and inquire in my fractured German…

In March of 1946, several war veterans living in East Marion wanted a memorial to honor the memory of their fallen neighbors.

They decided to create the only War Memorial Post Office in the United States.

A piece of land was purchased in April (for $1500), they went from door to door to raise the funds to erect a building, and after a year, many volunteer hours and $7000 later, a memorial building was built.

There is a metal plaque for veterans of “the World War,” 1917 – 1919.

Another for WWII, 1941 – 1945 (with Merchant Marines listed as well.)

Another reads: “In honor of the citizen of East Marion who served their country in the Korean War, June 27, 1950 – Jan 31, 1955…and in the Viet-Nam War, Aug. 5, 1964 – May 7, 1975…”

In May of 1999, Congress officially recognized and re-dedicated this little post office to war veterans.

I have moved from NYHarbor, and now live in East Marion, the North Fork of Long Island, NY.

I bike to Greenport and Orient for boats and ferries. I can swim in the Sound (water temperature 60°F / 15.5°c now, a bit warmer in the bay.) And I pick up my mail from the East Marion Post Office War Memorial.

On a framed official document from the Senate is this poignant line:

“WHEREAS, When the plaque was placed inside the Post Office, and when the dedication took place 50 years ago, no one could imagine another plaque being placed beside it for the East Marion men and women who would fight in Korea and then in Vietnam; we can only hope that we do not have to create another plaque to place beside them;…”

Got so into the curlicue kick that I did not get to finish the ships, alas:

I will be selling ship schwag at Blue Ruth 29 Front Street, 4 and 5 July. It is so exciting to have the ships in town, and friends who sail, buzzing around. Sailors do tell the best stories, especially when imbibing happy-inducing libations.

From today 11am until tomorrow, Sunday 5 pm (perhaps with a hiatus to rest during the wee hours), there will be BBQ competitions, music, tastings.

Meanwhile, back at their original brewery in Greenport, a beautiful art exhibit is up at the same where I had my show last year.

The artist is Scott Bluedorn, his work is very beautiful. He was commissioned to do the artwork for the labels for the bottled beers which just came out last month, the show is titled “Message On A Bottle.”

Built for the U.S. Dept of Defense, Naval Surface Warfare Command, and purchased by Bjoern Kils, these RHIB are hardy, fast vessels. I would see Bjoern all the time, all seasons, all weather. He was there for several rescues, and more, so that Tugster and I would call him the NY Media and Rescue Boat, which Bjoern seemed disinclined to use. I have taken friends out on his tour to celebrate a birthday, and was lucky enough to be a guest, and can attest that you will have an amazing time: Bjoern is knowledgeable, a good captain, and a runs a very good service for zipping about the harbor and being on the water.
Their blog is a fascinating view of the going-ons of NYHarbor.

And on the way to tying up on pier 25, they sometimes retrieve the myriad volleyballs/soccer balls clogging the slip, selecting the nicer, less algae’d varieties, ready for barter if you have a cold drink on hand. NY Media Boat does it all.

Read Tugster’s recounting of the epic journey Part I here and Part II here. It was a beautiful ride through the harbor with the majestic Wavertree, with some of our friends onboard and some accompanying her along the way.

Many thanks to the CO of USS CHINOOK (PC-9) for commissioning the drawing of his vessel for his crew.
(Prints were ordered; I just made the greeting card up for this post.)

And much thanks to Sarah Schwartz, editor of Stationery Trends for using Bowsprite cards to illustrate her very good article on the trends in the industry:

Very interesting information, beautifully designed with clever charts depicting the results of survey responses from 299 greeting card suppliers, manufacturers and retailers.

If you go to the National Stationery Show and look out the west exits, you’ll see the Fleet go by! who could ask for anything more? Sarah Schwartz is speaking at 2pm: see you there! going with my dear friend, AnjaKroencke, click to see her gorgeous work.

On special weekends when I was young, we would go to New Jersey to one of the remaining polynesian, tiki-hut themed restaurants. Adorned with itchy colorful plastic leis, we watched exotic, sizzling pu-pu platters, drinks with paper umbrellas, accordion lanterns, maraschino cherries and canned pineapple slices go by as we ate under thatched awnings lit by colored glass fishing ball lanterns in nets, beside large carved tiki statues.

That kitsch was the most I knew of the South Sea Islands until I read about the adventures of a plucky scientist in Micronesia. She wrote beautifully about the people and her work there, and Lady with a Spear became one of my most treasured books.

Dr. Eugenie Clark, was an ichthyologist at the American Museum of Natural History in NY, and an expert with Pletognatha, of which the poisonous blowfish is a member.

Her headquarters in the Palaus Islands was the Pacific War Memorial Station. The handyman there was Siakong. Mischievous, troublemaking, “with the power of three Palaus,” and a spearfisherman extraordinaire, he became her guide and protector, and taught her how to spearfish.

They packed neither food nor water for long day outings at sea, for, with the locals’ knowledge, and with the seas as bountiful as they were then, they would catch their meals from the boat, which would satisfy both hunger and thirst. Do-it-yourself raw bar.

One day, Siakong spied a giant clam deep below, and with his homemade goggles on, dived down towards it. Dr. Clark wrote she saw him swim deeper and deeper until his small figure was dwarfed by the clam which measured about 4′ across.

When he did not surface for awhile, she looked over the side of the boat and to her horror, saw him, arm deep in the mouth of the giant clam, caught and held fast. She frantically signaled to the boatman, who looked over and did not understand. She fretted, signaled, panicked and finally stood up in the boat, about to dive over herself when Siakong popped up, holding a part of the giant clam’s flesh in his hands.

The men laughed as she recovered from her terror, and they rowed away, leaving below, a giant clam with a tooth gap the size of a strong man’s arm diameter.

She eventually amassed for the Navy a collection of the most poisonous ones: triggerfish, scorpionfish, lion fish, stonefish, sea urchins, jellyfish, surgeon fish, sea snakes, cowfish, as well as edible fish–before and after monsoon seasons.

Known mostly for her work with sharks, she had said once: “It is one of the jobs of a marine biologist, to make the environment of the sea more familiar and hence safer, through studying and understanding the animals which live in it.”

Please, try to find garden sage (Salvia officinalis in Latin.) It is an herb you find usually in all traditional gardens. Even in wintertime the leaves have her oils. This is the right medical plant with the potential to help you.
Cut the leaves in small pieces. Infuse for 10 minutes. This will help your throat and take away inflammation and pain.

It is working–thank you so much, Dr. Bänninger!

Pack fresh sage in that sea bag! if you don’t need it for medicinal purposes, you can always roast potatoes or meat with it.